


Don't Tell Me You're Pregnant

by artsypolarbear



Series: Swan-Mills Fam [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Magical Pregnancy, Romance, Swan-Mills Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-13 02:03:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5690365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsypolarbear/pseuds/artsypolarbear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two months following a magical accident involving Regina and herself, Emma takes a pregnancy test for the second time in her life. And, for the second time in her life, the test comes out as positive. But, unlike the first time, she intends on keeping the baby, despite the fact that it's other parent is none other than Regina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oops

**Author's Note:**

> 4A divergent  
> I don't own any of the characters I'm just having myself some fun  
> and i know i update quickly, once i start a fic i just have to finish it asap

Emma trudged through snow and slush down the main street. Winter had finally decided to come to Storybrooke, albeit the little snow that had fallen the night before was already melting in the bright sunshine that seemed to blind anyone who dared to step outside. Emma wasn’t a big fan of snow; it got her boots wet, and made driving a whole lot more dangerous since her yellow bug wasn’t exactly the safest vehicle to start with. Not to mention it meant that she had to go to the Mayor’s office to give an extra report on town business.

The report wasn’t a problem. It was who she had to deliver it to. Emma was already grumpy, and Regina seemed to always succeed in noticing her bad moods and make pointed jabs at her to worsen them. Although the woman had been making tremendous strides in the past weeks and months, there was still a lot to go before Emma could truly consider them friends.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like Regina. She did. But Regina made her feel uneasy and out of her element in ways which Emma disliked. 

She entered the Mayor’s office and tried to dry off her feet as best she could, knowing Regina would freak if she saw wet, muddy footprints on her pristine marble floors and fine persian rugs.

The door to her office was locked, which was unusual at that hour. Emma, having not checked the calendar, now went over to the cork board to see that Regina was having a day off.

“Of course she is.” Emma muttered, turning to leave. She froze as her ears pricked up on some noises from Regina’s office. As she made her way towards the door, she could hear the sounds clearer - it sounded like a small cyclone had burst into the room. She could hear glass shattering, and that was enough to prompt her to kick down the door and burst into the room.

She found Regina on the floor, bent over what appeared to be a light pink ball of light, struggling to maintain composure as the orb tried to expand. 

“Regina!” Emma cried, trying to get the brunette’s attention. Regina, however, was too caught up in trying to contain the tiny explosion in her hands to hear or even notice her presence.

Emma repeated Regina’s name again, this time louder, but to no avail. She didn’t know what to do - she didn’t even know what was happening - and so she ran over and touched Regina’s arm.

There was a spark, and all of a sudden the orb broke free and collided with Emma and exploded, sending both women flying in opposite directions. Emma collided with the wall with such force that it felt as though all of her organs had been smashed. She could hear glass shattering as a painting fell down with her to the floor, where she rolled over, coughing and groaning in pain. Once she had regained her senses, she crawled a bit further to see that Regina was laying against the wall, looking just as shocked and exploded as she did.

“What the hell was that?” Emma yelled at her. Her lungs felt as though they were on fire - she was sure to have beautifully colourful bruises adorning her body by nightfall. The pain was already beginning to reside, and so she clambered up and stumbled over to where Regina was leaning against the wall, staring at Emma in confusion. When Emma offered her a hand to help her up, she stared at it with the same confusion.

“I’m not going to wait all day.” Emma huffed, shaking her hand slightly. Regina reached up and took it, still staring at Emma.

“What the hell are you doing here?” She asked the blonde. There was something in her eyes which told Emma that she had intruded on something Regina would have rather kept secret - what it was, she had no idea.

“I came to give you the snow report.”

“I’m not working today.”

“I forgot.” Emma said. “Anyway, I came in and heard noises.”

“So you broke down my door and played the hero?” Regina asked snidely. “Worked out well, didn’t it?” Emma replied. “What was that?”

“I...I guess my spell backfired. It should be alright, though.” Regina sighed.

“Backfired? Regina, it  _ exploded _ .”

“And?”

“Isn’t this something that should be reported?”

“I think you’ve done enough here for today.” Regina told her coolly and ushered her out of the room. “Good day, Miss Swan.”

Emma stood in the hallway for a short while after the door had been slammed shut behind her. She was still trying to recover from what had happened - it’s not everyday you get blown up. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins, and she decided to call it a day and head home before her back began to remind her of it’s rough collision with the wall.

As she returned outside and walked the short distance to the loft, she felt something churning inside her. Had she been looking closely, she would have seen a slight pink glow emanating from her stomach. But it was winter, and she was wearing layers upon layers, and so that first sign was lost on her completely.

Completely oblivious to what had truly happened before the explosion, Emma made her way home and soon forgot about the incident.

 

* * *

 

Two months later, Emma had forgotten all about that incident at Regina’s office. The holidays had practically whizzed by, and now, at the beginning of spring, Emma found herself enjoying the warmth and the sunshine which seemed to be increasing by each day.

Her baby brother had grown up so much in the past months - he had just learned how to crawl, and watching him scramble from one edge of the living room to another had replaced their traditional movie nights. David was sure that Neal was already showing athletic promise, while Snow was slightly worried that Neal would run into a chair or table and hurt himself. Emma could only watch in awe as the little human practically grew before her eyes, an ache more present in her heart than ever before. Watching the baby grow up and her parents fawn over him reminded her of the fact that she hadn’t gotten that with Henry, and despite how much she loved her son now, she couldn’t help but feel enormous regret for missing Henry’s first ten years.

That specific morning, Emma awoke feeling like she had downed all of Storybrooke’s liquor staches. Her head was pounding with pain, and her stomach was churning so violently she barely made it to the bathroom before she was spewing out the entirety of the past weeks’ meals. Once her stomach was effectively emptied, she felt fine - for about ten minutes. Then she found herself back on those white, cold tiles, throwing up despite the fact that there shouldn’t have been anything left to throw up.

She hadn’t drank a thing in weeks. She was pretty sure she wasn’t sick, either. Or maybe she was.

And she hadn’t had sex for at least six months, so she couldn’t possibly be pregnant.

But, as the day went by and her nausea persisted, Emma became very worried. She could still remember what it had been like when she had been expecting Henry, and was trying her best to deny the fact that what she was feeling now was almost exactly the same.

_ I can’t be pregnant. _

But then Emma remembered Virgin Mary and that immaculate conception, and wondered for a moment if Jesus existed too, in another realm. She was torn from those thoughts by yet another wave of nausea.

She was now starting to notice other signs, too. Her breasts were definitely achy and sore, and she was extremely tired. She told herself she was just seeing things because she was panicking - she was tired because she had been throwing up all day and hadn’t eaten, and her breasts were sore because she was coming on her period.

She hadn’t had that, too, for two months now. But that wasn’t out of the ordinary - sometimes she missed one or two periods. It was confusing, yes, but she had learned to not panic every time she was late.

But now, combined with all the other signs, she was definitely panicking.

She couldn’t very well go to the drug store and buy a pregnancy test. She was too nauseous to drive, and too tired to walk, not to mention the fact that everyone in town knew each other and if she was seen buying a pregnancy test everyone would know within the hour.

No, that was definitely not what she was going to do.

She climbed up and stumbled over to Snow’s bathroom, praying that the woman had(for any reason) a spare pregnancy test. For all she knew, it was entirely possible.

After going through every cabinet possible, Emma was beginning to give up. She would have to call someone to bring one to her.

But then, behind a box of tampons and a roll of toilet paper, she found an unused pregnancy test and nearly cried from relief. She leaned against the cabinet, clutching the small box to her chest, her eyes closed. She didn’t notice that Snow had come home until she heard footsteps approaching and quickly scrambled to hide the box behind her back with one hand while grabbing tampons with the other.

“What are you doing?” Snow asked as she popped her head into her bathroom.

Emma shrugged. “Tampons.”

“Ah.” Snow nodded understandingly. “Need anything else?”

“I think I’ve come down with the stomach flu.” Emma told her. “I guess I should stay away from everyone.”

“My poor baby. I’ll make you chicken soup.” Snow offered. “My special recipe.”

Emma smiled and ran out of the bathroom, surprised her weakened legs could carry her all the way to her bedroom in that speed. Once there, she locked her door before going into her bathroom and locking that door too.

As she waited the test to tell her the results, she found she was too nervous to sit still. She paced around, feeling nauseous not just from whatever it was she had but also from the nerves. She hadn’t had a pregnancy scare, ever, not until she had Henry, and afterwards she had been so careful not to ever get herself in that situation again.

And yet, here she was, waiting for that damn stick to tell her she wasn’t pregnant.

When she was sure enough time had passed, she reached for the stick and looked.

In that moment, it was as though the whole world stopped. Emma forgot to breathe.

There were two lines. Not one.

_ Pregnant. _

“But how?” Emma cried. She felt like she was going to faint and vomit at the same time, and opted for the latter first. She then laid onto the cold bathroom floor, panic rising in her chest. She didn’t know how this had happened. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. She hadn’t even  _ kissed _ a man for months, let alone had sex. She hadn’t had any blackouts, so she was almost entirely sure she hadn’t been date-raped either. Every night, she had come home and fallen into bed, to wake up there the next morning. There were no blanks in her days.

There was a knock on her bedroom door, and Emma groaned. “What?”

“Do you need anything?” She heard Snow’s voice, muffled, through the doors.

“I’m fine. I think I might be dying. Stay away unless you want to die, too.” Emma yelled, purposefully acting overtly melodramatic to ward off any suspicion. 

“I’ll bring you some soup later.”

With tremendous effort, Emma grabbed a bucket and practically crawled into her bedroom and into her bed. There, she laid, staring at the ceiling, feeling like she wanted to run away but knowing there was no running away from a thing growing inside your womb.

Not a thing.

A baby.

A real, living, human, baby.

_ Unless it wasn’t human,  _ Emma thought,  _ maybe it’s an alien baby. Immaculate conceptions don’t happen. Or do they? _

She suddenly realised that magic was real in her world. And with that realisation came the memory of one incident about two months ago.

_ Regina. _

Emma felt a rush of anger run through her veins. This had to have something to do with whatever spell Regina was attempting that day. She wasn’t pregnant - it was just some magical ailment. That was it. That had to be it.

She groaned as she got out of bed and grabbed a hoodie before stumbling out of her bedroom and down the stairs. Snow looked at her with sympathy and offered her some soup, which Emma declined as her stomach churned.

“I’m going to go to the doctor.” Emma announced. “Just in case.”

“You want me to drive you?”

“No, I’m fine.” Emma assured her. “I’ll be back in a bit.”


	2. Tag You're It

Emma regretted the decision to move the instant she closed the door to the loft. She was feeling extremely weak, as was evident from her legs shaking as she made her way down the stairs and to her car. But she was already up and she was determined to find out what the hell had happened. She wasn’t pregnant. She had decided she wasn’t.

It was too late in the day for Regina to still be at her office, and so Emma drove all the way to 108 Miffin Street, panic and fear and anger bubbling inside her. It was Emma’s day to have Henry, and she knew the boy would be returning from soccer practice in about an hour from now. She would have plenty of time to yell at Regina.

She parked her car in the driveway, beside Regina’s Mercedes, and proceeded to stomp over to the door and knock on it persistently until the door was opened.

“What do you want, Miss Swan?”

“We need to talk.”

“What about?” Regina asked. “Is it Henry?”

“No, Henry’s fine.” Emma grumbled as she shoved Regina inside and shut the door behind herself. She did not want anyone to hear their conversation. She didn’t even want anyone to know they were having one.

“Get your hands off me.” Regina hissed, jumping back and almost tripping in the process. Emma just rolled her eyes and glared at her.

“That spell two months ago. What was it?”

Regina stared at her incredulously. “You mean the time you effectively blew up my office?”

“You blew up your office all by yourself.” Emma said. “I was just caught in the middle.”

“Why do you want to know?”

Emma suddenly found herself at a loss. She was sure as hell not going to tell _Regina_ that she was pregnant. Was she?

“Tell me.” She said again.

“Why do you want to know?” Regina repeated, this time crossing her arms and looking at Emma in a way which made her quiver.

She opened her mouth, about to say it, but instead was overcome by nausea and threw her hand up to her mouth to prevent herself from throwing up all over Regina’s floor as she ran past the woman and to the bathroom, which thankfully was just a few steps away. She didn’t even have the time to lock the door.

Regina stood outside the bathroom door, completely dumbfounded. When she had opened her door to see Emma, looking like a whirlwind, she had known it was something she had done. She had known to expect yelling, accusations, and curses to be flying - but not vomit. And besides, the spell from a few months ago shouldn’t have caused anything like this, and surely not this late.

It had just been a spell.

Realisation dawned in Regina’s mind, and she had to lean against the wall as she tried to remain sensible.

 _It had been a fertility spell_.

And now she had the idiotic blonde product of True Love spewing out her insides in her beautiful bathroom, two months later.

She had closed her eyes, and didn’t notice Emma had come out of the bathroom for awhile. When she did, it was because she felt eyes on her, and opened them to see Emma staring at her.

“What?” She asked.

“Are you okay?” Emma retorted, mimicking Regina’s cold tone.

“I’m fine.” Regina snapped. She looked the blonde up and down, seeing the tension in her body. She then looked her in the eyes.

When their eyes met, Emma practically knew Regina knew. She watched as the gears turned inside the woman’s mind, and waited in amusement as she finally connected the pieces.

“Don’t tell me you’re pregnant.”

Emma furrowed her brows and suddenly felt offended. “I won’t.”

“What?”

“Tell.”

“So you are pregnant.”

“Yes, but I can’t be.”

“How come? Isn’t your precious pirate standing up for the occasion?” Regina asked snidely. Emma’s entire composure changed when Hook was mentioned; her shoulders fell down, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach as she tried to glare at Regina.

“He’s not mine.”

“I see.”

“What did you do to me?”

“Me?” Regina asked. “Dear, I think you have a severe misunderstanding regarding our relationship, not to mention basic facts of biology.”

“Cut the crap, Regina. I’m two months along and two months ago, you blew up your office and me in it with some spell. Now tell me what it was, or so help me God-” Emma tried to be threatening, but another wave of nausea cut her words short and sent her back into the bathroom.

“Or what, you’ll throw up on me?” She heard Regina asking from the other side of the door.

She emerged with a murderous glare on her face. “Tell me. Now.”

Regina sighed. “I’m going to need wine for this.” She walked to the kitchen and pulled out a glass, pouring herself a large glass.

“You want some?”

Emma’s glare only got darker. “Don’t you dare taunt me like this.”

“What?” Regina asked. “Oh. Right.”

“Now drink it up because I haven’t got all day.” Emma glared. “I can’t believe you need a _drink_ before you can tell me what you were doing.” She muttered, more to herself than to Regina.

“It’s embarrassing.”

“I’ve thrown up twice in your presence now, and I’m sure I look like it too. And smell. So don’t talk to me about embarrassing.” Emma groaned, slumping down in a chair and letting her head fall down against the table. She heard the scraping of another chair across from her as Regina sat down, but didn’t bother to look up.

“It was a fertility spell.”

Emma’s head popped up in surprise. “A what?”

Regina sighed. “A fertility spell.”

“You were trying to get pregnant?”

“More like I was trying to become fertile. But yes.”

Emma didn’t quite understand. “So you...weren’t? Fertile, I mean?”

“No.” Regina sighed. “I took an infertility potion years back. I was trying to reverse it with an extra strong fertility spell. Something went wrong, and you came in, and obviously…that happened.” Her eyes drifted down to Emma’s stomach, and she instinctively put her arms there as if to protect the thing growing inside her.

“So I am pregnant.”

“Most likely, yes.” Regina grumbled, pouring herself another glass. “I’ve been trying to just become _fertile_ for months, and you pop in and all of a sudden there’s a baby growing in your womb. The irony of this doesn’t escape me.”

“Irony?” Emma cried. “I’m growing a _baby_ inside me! How is that ironic?”

The woman before her fell quiet. Regina was feeling the effects of the wine, and amidst the warm floating sensation, a thought had popped up in her head. It was more of a question, but she dared not ask lest she be disappointed by it’s answer.

“Are you keeping it?” She heard herself ask, far softer and quieter than she would have wanted. She saw Emma stare and blink, obviously confused by the sudden change in tone, and flinched inwardly.

“I--” Emma stammered. “I haven’t even had the time to think about it.”

And now she did.

And she realised she didn’t know one very important piece of information.

“Wait. If I’m pregnant...who’s the father?”

Regina chewed her lip. “I don’t...I don’t know if there is one.”

“What do you mean? Is this like a clone or something? Is this even _my_ baby?”

“I think…” Regina began, but let her voice fade away. _I think it might be mine._ “I know a spell which we can use.”

“Oh no, no more spells.” Emma said quickly. “God knows what’ll happen this time, maybe it’ll grow another head or turn out to be a troll or some other freaky shit. No way.”

“Do you want to know who the father is?”

“Yes.” Emma said, though she was terrified. She was terrified of the potential answer to the ‘who’s the father’ question. She did not want it to be Killian. To be honest, she did not want there to be a baby to which a father had to belong in the first place.

“Then let me do this.” Regina said coolly. “Trust me, that mistake was a one time thing. I can assure you my magic is trustworthy.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Regina summoned her travel potions kit and quickly mixed up a potion. The smell of the ingredients, which seemed to consist of mainly dried up animal parts, made Emma’s stomach heave, but she was determined not to throw up again.

“Are you about to heave again?” Regina asked her cautiously. “You look positively green.”

“No, I’m fi-” Emma began, but almost threw up on the table in the process. Almost, because the next second there was a bucket in her hands and she was throwing up into that.

“Where the hell is all this coming from?” She groaned when she was done. There was a glass of water next to her on the table where it hadn’t been before, and she looked up to see Regina watching her with a strange look on her face.

“Thanks.” She muttered as she took the glass, now thoroughly embarrassed and weakened. Regina just smirked and waved her hand, causing the contents of the bucket to disappear, along with their smell.

“Here, give me your hand.” She said, more of an order than a request. Emma did as asked, and immediately, Regina stabbed a small needle into her forefinger, causing Emma to cry out in surprise. “What the hell?” She demanded as the woman placed the needle into the tiny vial which contained whatever potion she was making.

She then took the needle and pricked herself, dropping one drop of blood into the mixture and hoping for the best.

_It can’t be my baby._

The mixture changed from murky brown to a fine, glowing green the instant Regina’s blood touched it. Regina’s heart and face fell, and Emma, seeing this, did not know what to think.

“What is it?” She asked. “Who’s the father?”

Regina bit her lip and shook her head. “You might have to rethink the concept of a father.”

“Why?”  
“Because,” Regina sighed, “I’m it.”


	3. It's a Girl

“What do you mean you’re it?” Emma asked, her voice rising. She had never known she could be this moody, but then again, this was only her second time being pregnant.

“What I mean, Miss Swan, is that whatever...thing is growing inside you is half mine, half yours.”

“So...what, our DNA just collided and implanted itself in my womb during the explosion?”

“Sounds reasonable.”

“How can you be so cool about this!?” Emma practically shrieked. “I mean, I-- I don’t even know if I want a baby! And I sure as hell don’t want one with you.”

“Look, I think we can both agree that this is an unfortunate situation.” Regina said, trying to calm Emma down. She had seen what could happen when Emma got mad, and was not about to have her kitchen wall blown to pieces over an argument.

“I--I can’t stay here, I’ve got to go-” Emma stammered, rushing out of the kitchen. Regina hurried after her, only to see her stumble and nearly fall down the little stairs in her foyer. She disappeared and reappeared in a puff of smoke just in time to catch the blonde.

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you have a miscarriage because you’re being stupid.” She muttered as she pulled Emma up to an upright position. Emma, however, was practically running on nothing, having emptied out every last bit from her stomach. She felt faint, and gripped Regina’s arms hard, not wanting to let go. Not because she wanted to be holding Regina. She just did not want to fall.

“I-I think I need to lie down.” She muttered, and the next second she fainted. Regina groaned as the blonde’s full weight fell onto her arms, and she struggled for a moment before making them both reappear in a guest bedroom, where she left Emma to sleep while she called Dr. Whale.

 

* * *

 

Emma woke up a little later, feeling significantly better. She was laying in what felt like a cloud - the sheets around her were softer than anything she’d ever felt, and with a start she realised she was still in Regina’s house.

She could hear hushed voices talking in the hall, and got up to hear better. She stood beside the door to listen, but all of a sudden the voices disappeared and then the door was opened, hitting her on the head.

“Oh my god!”

Emma groaned and looked at Regina and Dr. Whale while rubbing at her forehead, where a red line could be seen where the door had collided with her hard skull. “What the fuck?”

“Miss Swan, what are you doing out of bed?”

“I--” Emma stammered. “I heard voices.”

Regina rolled her eyes at the blonde’s endless curiosity. “Go back to bed.”

“Not until you tell me what is going on.”

“Dr. Whale here is going to examine you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re pregnant.”

“You told him?”

“You fainted, Emma.”

“And?”

“You fainted. I wasn’t going to let you just go home after that. Who knows, it could be a life-threatening pregnancy for all we know. I'm not having you dying on me. Henry would never forgive me.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Dr. Whale interjected. “Doctor-patient confidentiality.” He told Emma, flashing her a careful smile. “No one will know until you want them to. If you want them to, that is.”

Emma saw no other choice than to go back to bed and let the doctor do what he had been brought to do. She did order Regina to leave the room during the exams - after all, she had embarrassed herself enough before the woman for one day - and only allowed her to return when she was fully clothed and done.

“Everything seems to be in order.” Dr. Whale said. “You’re about 8 weeks along, as you said, and I’ll get these samples to the lab but so far as I can tell you’re perfectly fine. I can tell you the sex of your baby right now, if you so wish.”

“What do you mean now?” Emma asked. “You didn’t even do a sonogram. It's way too early.”

“I don’t have to.”

“Why?”

“You’re both women, so you’ll be having a girl.”

“It’s that simple?”

“There was no Y chromosome in the equation, so yes. It’s that simple.”

“A girl?”

Regina looked at Emma and was stunned to see tears glimmering in the blonde’s eyes. She hadn't counted on her to be getting emotional. But now, watching Emma fight back the tears and the smile on her face, she began to suspect that she didn’t need to fear that Emma would get rid of the baby.

Regina had known instantly that she wanted this baby. This baby, which was half hers. It didn’t matter that it’s other mother was Emma - she already shared one child with her and things were running along smoothly. She wanted this baby more than anything.

She had feared that Emma wouldn’t want it. She still did, knowing there was still time for the blonde to change her mind. She was mainly afraid because she knew she had little say in the matter - after all, her body wasn’t the one undergoing torment for nine months.

Dr. Whale left, and Regina came to sit at Emma’s bedside. “So…” She began shyly.

“What?”

Regina shrugged. “Are you keeping it?”

“Do you want me to?”

Regina was taken aback by that question. “What do you mean?”

“I--I’m keeping it.” Emma decided in an instant. “I gave up one baby. I’m never doing that again.”

“Well...I suppose congratulations are in order.”

“Oh, god.” Emma threw her head back against the pillows and squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“What?”

“I have the worst luck.” Emma grumbled, rubbing her fingers in circles at her temples. “I’ve ever taken _two_ pregnancy tests in my life, and both times they’re positive and positively an accident. It’s like the universe hates me.”

“Well, Henry came from the first accident, so it couldn’t be all bad.”

“The pregnancy was horrible.” Emma sighed. “I couldn’t keep _anything_ down.”

“I can help with the nausea, if you’d like.”

“You’d do that?”

“I don’t want you throwing up in my house. It already smells horrific.” Regina replied coldly. “Besides, I’m not letting you drive anywhere. You’re too weak for that.”

Emma grumbled and would have protested, but she knew Regina was right. She was too weak to even walk, let alone drive back home. Although she would never admit it, she was loving the feel of Regina’s guest bed, and did not want to leave.

“Rest. I’ll drive you home a bit later.”

Emma laid back and closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

About two hours later, Regina drove Emma home in her bug, where they exchanged a cold, distant goodbye before going their separate ways. It was late, and when Emma came in to the loft, she found her family eating dinner.

“Emma!” Snow exclaimed. “You were gone a long while, I was getting worried. Come have some dinner.”

It seemed that Regina’s anti-nausea potion was working, because for the first time that day, Emma was able to fill her stomach with chicken soup.

“So, what did the doctor say?”

“He told me I probably just ate something bad.” Emma said. She wasn’t going to tell her parents about the pregnancy, not now, not yet, and certainly not at the dinner table where her son and infant brother were sitting.

It would be a long and gruesome talk. That much Emma knew already. She didn’t even understand it herself - how could she possibly explain it to her parents?

But there was time for that later. After all, it wasn’t like the baby was coming next week. She had about seven months left in the countdown till her life changed yet again.

For the first time in a long while, Emma felt excited. She wanted this baby more than anything. She had been yearning for another child ever since Neal had been born, and now, she had been granted one in the strangest twist of all time.

She would figure it out. Maybe sharing a baby with Regina wouldn’t be so bad. After all, she did raise Henry.


	4. I'm Not Dying, I'm Pregnant

The next week was grueling as well as long. Emma tried her best to hide her nausea and mood swings from her family, but once she knew what was going on, it was as though her body had switched into full on pregnancy mode. Though Regina’s anti-nausea potion had worked, she had run out quickly in a few days. Being the stubborn person she was, Emma refused to go to the woman for a resupply. After all, she was still angry at her.

There was the slightest noticeable bump on her belly, but when covered by a shirt it was no longer visible and thus Emma didn’t have to worry about someone noticing that way. But she knew she couldn’t keep the fact from her family forever.

A little over a week after she had found out, she received a phone call from Dr. Whale, wherein he insisted that she schedule a prenatal meeting so that she could get set up properly for the pregnancy. Realising it was only a matter of time before her body would tell her parents for her, she decided it was time.

Snow and David were sat on the couch, both watching some mindless TV show, when Emma walked into the living room.

“Uh...can we talk?” Emma asked quietly as she sat down beside them. Both her parents turned around to face her, their attention no longer at the TV.

“Sure, what’s up?” David said. When he saw the look on Emma’s face, his brows furrowed; this wasn’t just some everyday talk.

“Emma, honey, what’s wrong?” Snow then asked, reaching over to grab Emma’s hand. 

“Nothing’s wrong.” Emma said. “Well...not exactly.”

“Now you’re worrying me. You can tell us.”

Emma took a deep breath and looked at her parents. “I’m...pregnant.”

A variety of expressions spread across Snow’s and David’s faces as they took in what Emma had said. First they were shocked, then worried, and then they were happy - but Emma remained emotionless, not giving them any indication of what they should be feeling.

“Emma…” Snow asked quietly. “Are we happy about this?”

Emma nodded quietly. “I guess...I'm keeping the baby.”

Silence fell as Emma waited for her parents to ask the next question.

“Who’s the father?”

Emma drew in a sharp breath. “That’s the thing...there isn’t one.”

“What?”

“Well...you know how two months ago Regina’s office exploded?”

“Yes, you told us.”

“Well, the explosion was a spell gone wrong and as a result I got pregnant.”

“Whoa.”

“And Regina’s the father. Sort of.”

“Oh my goodness.” 

Emma knew this was a lot for her mother to take in. David, on the other hand, looked like he had been hit over the head with a bat.

“So you and Regina are having a baby…together?”

“We’ll be co-parenting, I guess. Like with Henry.”

“Oh, Emma.” Snow sighed, leaning over to pull Emma in for a hug. “This is so bizarre, I don’t even know where to start, but I’m so happy.”

David was still dumbstruck. “I just...how…”

“I have a prenatal meeting later today.” Emma told them, eyeing David in amusement. “I’ve been feeling a little dizzy so could either of you drive me?”

“I’ll take you.” David offered. Emma smiled and laid back on the couch. 

“I’m so glad I told you. I’ve been having the worst week.”

“So  _ that’s  _ what the throwing up was all about?”

“Yes.”

“Oh my poor baby.”

David headed further away as Emma and Snow began talking about the woes of the first trimester. He pulled out his phone once he was out of earshot, and dialled Regina’s number.

“Yes, Charming?” 

“What the hell did you do to my daughter?”

“Am I right to assume she told you about her little bundle of joy?”

“Yes. What the hell did you do?”

“As she probably told you, it was entirely an accident.”

“I know that. But how could  _ you _ let this happen?”

“Listen, Charming, I am well aware that you are most likely very...shocked about this. But I don’t believe I am really to blame.”

“It was  _ your  _ spell-”

“And Emma wasn’t supposed to be at my office.”

“I’m going to tell you this once. You better be in this for real. I won’t have you dumping this on my daughter and leaving.”

“Look.” David could hear Regina sighing. “In case you forgot, your daughter left her son and I was the one who raised him.  _ Alone _ . I can handle this perfectly fine.”

“Fine. But I’m watching you.”

“Of course you are.” 

Regina hung up on him. She was annoyed to say the least, but also a little bit pleased. The Charmings knew about the baby and seemed fine with her being in it’s life.

_ Not it,  _ she thought to herself,  _ she. Her. _

She could not believe Emma Swan was pregnant with  _ her _ child. The whole set up shouldn’t have been possible in the first place, magically or not, but here she was, getting ready to go to Emma’s first prenatal meeting. 

It was like someone had taken her deepest, darkest wishes and decided to make them happen, only they had started at the wrong end of the chronology. Regina had hoped that she could one day maybe ask Emma on a date and see where it went from there. She hadn’t been able to deny her feelings for the blonde for quite some time, masking them masterfully behind a charade of cold remarks and standoffish behavior. She had kept her feelings to herself for two reasons; one, she had until last week thought Emma and Hook to be in some form of a relationship. With that obstacle gone, there was only one left.

Rejection.

Regina feared that most of all - she was afraid that the blonde didn’t care for as she did, which was almost plainly evident from her behavior towards her. She hadn’t forgotten how disgusted Emma had sounded when she had said she didn’t want to have a baby with her.

They hadn’t spoken since Regina had dropped Emma off at the loft that night. Regina knew Emma was going to be at the prenatal meeting - after all, she was the pregnant one - but wasn’t sure if the blonde had realised that she was coming too.

When Regina walked into the doctor’s office, it was instantly clear that Emma had not expected her to be there. She had spotted David on her way in, and nodded in recognition before heading right past him and to the room where Emma was.

Emma was laying on the table, a blanket draped over her legs, which were already in stirrups. Upon seeing Regina walk in, she immediately scrambled to close her legs.

“What the hell?” She yelped. “Why are you here?”

“It’s the prenatal meeting. Both parents are encouraged to show up.”

“I’m half-naked!”

“It’s not as if I wanted to look.” Regina scoffed. “I’ll stand by your head, if you want. But I’m not leaving until Dr. Whale comes in. He’s the one who asked me to be here in the first place.”

Emma groaned and slammed her head backwards against the pillow. “I can’t believe you.”

“What?”

“How could you just show up?”

“I told you. Dr. Whale wanted me here.”

“Why would he want you here? You’re not carrying this baby.”

“You’re right, she isn’t.” Dr. Whale said as he walked in, carrying two clipboards with him. He handed one to Regina, one to Emma, then grabbed a stool and settled between the stirrups. 

“Emma?”

Emma snapped back from her own little bubble and looked down to see Dr. Whale looking at her expectantly. She blushed slightly and lifted her legs into the stirrups, glaring daggers at Regina who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Emma was about to receive a pelvic exam not two feet away from where she was standing. 

Regina was entirely aware of what was happening, which was exactly why she was pouring her attention into the small set of papers on the clipboard. They were asking about her family history, and she wasn’t entirely sure what to put in many of the slots. She didn’t know whether it was appropriate to put ‘murder by candle’ into the part where it asked about how her parents had died, or whether her father had had a heart condition or diabetes. Even of her own health, she knew very little beyond her blood type.

“All right, all seems to be in order.” Dr. Whale said as he finished up with the exams. Emma sighed in relief, glad that she would be able to be fully clothed again.

“I’ll go get the lab results and you two can finish up with the family histories in the mean time.”

An awkward silence enveloped the room once Whale had left. Emma scribbled away on the form, remembering most of the questions from when she had been expecting Henry. This time, however, she was more than happy to be able to fill out the part about her parents instead of leaving it blank.

“So...how are you?”

Emma looked up from the clipboard to find Regina looking at her with a careful smile on her blood red lips. Even at a hospital, the Mayor was always aptly dressed, as though she was afraid she would have to rush to a meeting at the White House at any given second.

“Uh...good, I guess.” Emma said. “You?”

“You know, the same. Mayoral meetings. Dark magic. Nothing new.”

Silence fell again, this time to be broken by Emma.

“Do you think we should tell Henry?”

Regina’s eyes widened. “You haven’t told him?”

“I wanted to see what you thought before dropping the bomb.”

The Queen was touched by Emma’s consideration. “I-- yes, of course you should tell him. He’s a smart boy, he’ll figure it out by himself soon enough, especially since you keep getting food poisoning, as he puts it.”

“He’s noticed?”

“He says you’ve been vomiting non-stop since last week.”

Emma shrugged. “It’s fine. I'm fine.”

“You could have asked for more anti-nausea draught.”

“I forgot.”

Regina rolled her eyes. The blonde was as stubborn as ever. “Like it or not, that baby is mine as well. And I want to help you through this pregnancy, because there are things that I can do to really alleviate your discomfort. So stop being so stubborn.”

“You can’t tell me what to do, I’m pregnant with  _ your child _ .” Emma retorted. The words could have been delivered far more harshly, but she retained a gentle, almost playful tone in her voice.

“Miss Swan--”

“And stop calling me Miss Swan. Your magical spawn has taken root in my womb and I think that calls for the dropping of useless formalities,  _ Regina _ .”

“Fine, Em-ma.” Regina scoffed. “Here.” She rummaged through her Gucci purse and pulled out a large bottle filled with sparkly blue liquid. “For your nausea.”

“You wouldn’t have anything for dizziness, would you?”

“You’ve been dizzy? Isn’t that a bad thing?”

“Nah, it happened when I was pregnant with Henry too.” Emma shrugged. “It’s just a little scary to be driving, is all.”

“You shouldn’t be driving in the first place.”

“I’m pregnant, not dying.”

“And I’m not having our child die or be permanently harmed by your stupidity.” Regina retorted.

“Our child will be fine.” Emma sighed. “I got this.” She wasn’t sure she believed it herself quite yet, but she was getting there. She wanted to believe she had everything under control.

“Do you?”

“Trust me, Regina. This isn’t my first time, remember?”


	5. Henry Knows Best

They decided that it was best that Emma told Henry. After a nice long movie and ice cream, Emma finally decided it was time to tell her son he would be getting a sibling in seven months.

“Henry…” She began, watching the boy carefully. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

“I know.”

“What?”

“You’re in love with Mom.” Henry grinned, thinking he had beat Emma to the finish line. Emma, however, gaped at him in surprise.

“What? No! No I’m not.” She stammered. “Where did you get that idea?”

“You’re not?” 

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”  _ No. _

“I guess I was wrong.”

Emma stared at her son, having forgotten what she had meant to say altogether.

“You had something to tell me?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Um, before I tell you, I just want you to know that I love you no matter what and nothing is going to change that. Ok?”

“Ma, you’re kind of scaring me.”

“I’m pregnant, Henry.”

Henry smiled. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s the dad?” He then asked. He wasn’t completely oblivious, after all, he was a teenage boy. "I thought you broke up with Hook."

“I did. That's the thing, Henry...there isn’t a dad. Your mom is kind of...the dad. She did a spell and I was there by accident and this just sort of...happened. By accident.”

“So what you’re saying is that you’re having a baby with Mom...and you’re not even the tiniest bit in love?”

Emma couldn’t help but laugh. “Easy kid. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“You and Mom would make so much sense.” Henry told her. 

“Henry, we fight all the time. I’m pretty sure she still kinda hates my guts.”

“She doesn’t hate you. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Or she doesn’t love me in that way.” Emma replied. “We’re perfectly fine as friends and co-parents.”

Henry disagreed, but chose to say nothing. “So...I’m going to have a brother or a sister?”

“Don’t tell anyone else yet...but it’ll be a sister.” Emma said, beaming at her son. She hadn’t been sure how he would react, but from the looks of it, he was taking it quite well. She had, once again, underestimated her son’s ability to understand things others would have had questions about.

“That’s cool.” Henry said. “But you’ll still take me out for movies every Saturday, right?”

“Of course. We’ll make your Mom take care of the baby. That’s what co-parenting is for, isn’t it?” Emma joked. “I’ll make time for you. I promise. Just because I’m having this baby doesn’t mean you’re not my kid. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“Good. You’re a good kid.”

“I know.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Emma wasn’t sure whether it was the moment or the pregnancy hormones or both, but in that moment, she felt an overwhelming burst of emotion and hugged her son, tears brimming in her eyes. She was so incredibly happy that Henry was okay with the baby, that he hadn’t been mad or upset about it, and that he had been so good about it.

“You’ll be the best big brother.” She mumbled. “Your sister will love you.”

“I think I already like her.”

“Kid, she’s probably the size of a grape right now. I don’t think she’s even properly human yet.” Emma laughed as Henry got up and headed over to the TV to play video games. She laid back on the bed, and pulled up her shirt to place both hands onto her belly. 

“Hi, baby girl.” She said softly. “I’m your Ma. That was your brother, Henry.”

She waited a while, as though to wait for a response. “I’m sorry I called you barely human. I was just joking. You’ll get used to that. I’ve got a terrible sense of humor.”

She looked at the ceiling and sighed, tapping her fingers against her stomach. The bump, barely visible, was more noticeable underneath her fingertips, and she spent a while just running her fingers over it. There was a  _baby_ in there. The thought overwhelmed her and excited her and somewhat terrified her, too.

But now wasn't the time for worrying.  She was dead tired, and needed a nap.

“You know, you could try being a bit nicer. I don't really like having to spend half the day spewing out her insides.” Emma muttered to her belly as she turned to her side and fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

Emma didn’t tell Regina about what Henry had said. She kept those words to herself, and spent the next month pondering over them. Her son was the observing type, and was rarely wrong. Emma had never really come to think about Regina in that way - somehow, she had always just pushed it away. But now, having had her eyes opened by Henry’s insistence that she was  _ in love  _ with his adoptive mother, she was beginning to notice the little things.

Like how Regina would bring her anti-nausea draughts and other things to make her more comfortable, always in the evening like clockwork. She didn’t come every day, but she always seemed to appear just as Emma was running out of a certain item. She wondered whether the woman had some kind of psychic power, or whether she had employed Henry to keep tabs on Emma’s potions to ensure the blonde never had to stoop down low enough to ask for them. The latter seemed more than likely, since Emma had taken up the habit of napping several hours a day just to cope with the fatigue that seemed to strike at the worst of times. Being knocked out for such long times gave Henry(or whoever Regina had employed as her spy) to come and go as they pleased.

Regina also brought her bear claws and grilled cheese sandwiches and lasagna at seemingly random intervals, accurately predicting when Emma was craving what. Yet again, the woman brought them like clockwork, sometimes staying over to talk or for tea which Snow always persistently offered.

Emma had begun taking various vitamins and supplements, as ordered by Dr. Whale, and kept them on schedule - most times. Even so, it seemed that whenever she forgot, she received a quick text from Regina, which usually only read any short variation of ‘did you take your vitamins’ or ‘take your vitamins’. Henry, too, seemed very invested in making sure Emma was eating right and taking her medications, which Emma suspected was partly because of Regina’s influence.

They still fought, of course. Regina kept a sharp eye out for anything that Emma did that could have potentially harmed their child, thus banning her from taking hot baths, eating hot dogs or drinking coffee, along with a whole lot of other things Emma enjoyed. She grumbled and complained, but in the end saw that Regina only really wanted the best for their child.

With her parents busy with baby Neal and their respective jobs, Emma had quickly taken up Regina’s offer to be her chauffeur as her dizziness persisted. Regina had also wanted to ban Emma from driving the yellow bug, calling it a ‘sickening death trap made from daffodils’ but Emma hadn’t quite given that up. Instead, she now called Regina at times to go to the doctor, or to Granny’s, or anywhere.

Emma would have never admitted that she secretly enjoyed spending time with Regina. Never in a million years.

“You know,” Emma said one day as they were driving along to the beach to go for a walk. Regina insisted that Emma get enough fresh air and proper exercise, but would not let the blonde go alone lest she get herself in trouble, being the curious idiot she was. “I never realised how easy it is to say ‘our child’. It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?”

Regina threw a sideways glance at Emma. “Well, it is our child. Henry is our child. It’s normal.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Emma sighed. “I meant...we’re not exactly the best of friends, and yet here we are, raising one child with another on the way.”

“As I said the first time, the irony never escapes me.” Regina said coolly.

“I’m thinking about moving out.” Emma blurted out.

“Really? You’re finally ready to leave the nest?” 

Regina hadn’t intended for her words to come out as sharply as they did. Emma shrugged and looked out of the window, not minding Regina’s standoffishness. After all, that was how it had always been.

“In case you forgot, I never  _ had _ a nest until a couple of years ago. I was just making up for lost time.”

“Of course you were. It had nothing to do with Snow’s marvellous cookings and habit of doing your housework for you.”

“Shut up.” 

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

“Well I’m moving out. They have a baby, and I'll soon have one too, and I'll need my own space. I was thinking maybe we could go see some of the places some time.”

“Places? Plural? In Storybrooke?”

“What is with you today?” Emma asked. “The sarcasm is on a whole new level.”

Regina shrugged. “I guess I’m a little tired. I was up late trying to arrange a substitute for you when you go on maternity leave.”

“Maternity leave?” Emma asked, bewildered. “I get maternity leave?”

“Well I for one will not have you running around town chasing criminals with our child attached to your breast.” Regina scoffed. “So yes, you ‘get’ maternity leave.”

“Paid?”

“We’ll see.”

“Come on, Regina, it’s  _ your  _ kid. Tell me I get fully paid maternity leave.”

“Fine. But there will be a significant hole in your budget when you come back.”

“We’re having a baby. There will be a significant hole in both our budgets for the next 18 years.”

Regina laughed. “I can manage just fine, Emma. Don’t forget, I’m the Queen.”

“Won’t that make our daughter a princess?”

Regina nodded. “And your mother’s step-sister. Your step-aunt, since you’re so invested in familial ties.”

“No!” Emma laughed, hiding her face in her hands. “Can we just pretend that you never married my grandfather?”

“Gladly.” There was a coldness in Regina’s voice which surprised Emma, causing the laughter to die out in her throat. She looked over to see Regina’s hands gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles white from the pressure. 

“Sorry. Bad joke.” Emma quipped, trying to keep the light tone of the conversation going. “See, kiddo, I told you your Ma had a bad sense of humor.”

Regina looked at Emma incredulously. The blonde was bent over, looking at her belly, a stupid smile on her face. “What on earth are you doing?”

“Talking to the baby.”

“Why?”

“Because...I don’t know. I just feel like I should. I read somewhere that she can probably hear us.”

“Then keep your swearing to a minimum.”

“I already told her I swear like a sailor.”

“I will not have our daughter learning any swear words from you.”

“She thinks it’s fine.”

“How could you possibly know what she thinks?”

“I am the human incubator, hence I speak for the tiny little human inside for me.” Emma replied coolly.

“Human incubator.” Regina scoffed as she parked the car beside the beach. “I can’t believe the sheer amount of horrible names you’re able to come up with for yourself and the baby.”

“Glad you appreciate them, I spent all of last week thinking them up.”

“I especially didn’t appreciate you calling her the spawn of not-so-Evil yesterday.”

“What? It’s true.”

“I didn’t like it.”

“Well then I’m sorry. I guess I’ll have to revert to calling her the Parasite.”

“No. You are  _ not  _ calling her a parasite.”

“ _ The _ Parasite.”

“Hell no.”

“Alien invasion?”

“No.”

“Bladder kicker?”

“Not a chance.”

Emma snickered and started walking down towards the water. It was the middle of February, and there was still a light dusting of snow covering the sand and fields. The sea was gray and calm, the sky a beautifully clear pale blue. The sun was shining brightly, warming up the otherwise cold air.

Emma enjoyed these walks. She liked wandering around, tossing rocks into the sea and just admiring and enjoying the fresh sea air in her lungs. She also appreciated the fact that Regina agreed to come with. Emma knew Regina wasn’t one for nature walks and the outdoors. The only reason she came along was because she was worried - with her already existing clumsiness only elevated by the pregnancy, Emma had quickly become a walking disaster and certainly needed someone to make sure she didn't accidentally kill herself or her baby.

As if the universe had read Emma’s thoughts, she suddenly felt her feet catch in something and stumbled forward. She heard a panicked cry from Regina, and the next second she ran into woman, who appeared before her in a cloud of purple smoke. They tumbled over, Emma landing on top of Regina, whose arms wrapped around Emma’s waist in a protective embrace.

“Are you okay?” Regina coughed. The landing had caused the air to be blown from her lungs, but she didn’t care. “Is the baby ok?”

“Yes, she’s fine.” Emma told her. “Are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“I landed on you. I’m so sorry.” Emma said. She went to get up, only now noticing Regina’s arms on her waist. “Um...you might want to let go.”

“Right.” Regina’s hands slid away from Emma, and the blonde stood up. Regina stayed on the ground, propped up on her elbows, peering up at the blonde. “I can see your bump.”

Emma’s eyes widened. “Really? Even with all these clothes?” She placed her hands on her stomach, a smile spreading on her face.

“I can see up your shirt, Swan.” Regina chuckled as she stood up. Emma blushed and looked away, suddenly flustered.

“It’s not that big yet.” She said after a while. "I'm barely showing."

“It would be, but you’re as thin as a straw.” Regina pointed out. 

“I was smaller when I had Henry.” Emma told her. “Back then it seemed so big, though.” Her voice faded away, and Regina watched her carefully as Emma’s eyes drifted over the horizon. With all the remarks she had made about cutting Henry’s cord with a shiv and such, she had never really thought about the fact that Emma had gone through a pregnancy as a teenager, in prison, all alone.

A single, lone tear fell down Emma’s cheek.

“Emma.” Regina said softly, taking a step towards the blonde. “Are you...are you okay?”

Emma wiped the tear away and cleared her throat. “Yeah. Just...mood swings, you know?”

Regina nodded carefully. “You want to go?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on.”

Regina insisted Emma let her hold her waist for stability as she led the two of them back to her car. Emma, after an initial grumble, had been all too happy to comply, and was almost sad to let Regina’s hand fall from her waist when they reached the car. That touch, the amount which Regina seemed to care and worry, made her feel a multitude of feelings which she had never thought of before. This astounded her, the main cause of her astonishment being the cause of her feelings.

Regina.

_ Dammit, Henry _ , Emma thought to herself as Regina started her Mercedes and drove towards town.  _ Why do you always have to be so right? _   
  



	6. Apartment Hunting

Almost a month passed before Emma got around to dragging Regina out to take her to see all the possible places she could move into. It was a rainy day, cold and windy, and Regina was furious to find Emma out in nothing but leggings, a sweater and a light jacket.

“You’re going to kill yourself  _ and _ our baby if you keep dressing like that.” She grumbled, waving her hand and making more clothes appear on Emma.

“Sweatpants.” Emma stated, looking at the choices Regina had made. “Fair enough.”

“Do you have to be so stubborn?”

“Just for you, your Majesty.” Emma hummed. She propped her legs up onto the dashboard and sighed. “So. Where to?”

“Shouldn’t you know where we’re going?”

“I know. I was just kidding. Head down to the docks.”

“No.”

“What?”

“You’re not living by the docks. It’s cold and windy and it smells of fish.”

“Shouldn’t I at least go look at it? The apartment has ‘lots of natural light’ and both a bathtub and a shower.”

“My daughter is not growing up smelling like fish.”

“Fine, not the docks then.” Emma said. “Here’s a list. You pick. After all, one would expect the Mayor to know where the best housing is.”

Regina looked over the short list Emma gave her, choosing one or two out of the staggering eight choices listed. Along the drive, she noticed Emma looking at her, but didn’t do anything about it other than try desperately to not blush and failing completely. The rain rattled against the roof, breaking the tension in the car somewhat. Regina wasn't sure what it was, but she felt like Emma had something to say.

They arrived at a dual apartment complex near the park, a short walking distance from the main street and the school. The apartment had two levels, hardwood floors, and plenty of natural light. Regina was absolutely delighted by it, and could already see Emma living in this place.

Emma, however, was not impressed. The floor plan was not functional for her at all, let alone a baby - a child likes open spaces, she decided, as well as spiralling stairs and little rooms and staircases which you can hang from. 

“Next.” She declared, causing Regina to frown.

“You’re sure?”

“It’s nice but it’s not home.” Emma told her as she ushered her out. “You can move here, if you want.”

The next apartment seemed perfect - it felt like home, and was only a short walking distance from the Charming’s loft. Emma also enjoyed the fact that the master bedroom had it’s own bathroom with a fancy bathtub.

But then, as they were exiting the apartment, they ran into Mother Superior in the hall. After discovering that the insufferable blue fairy lived right next door, the apartment lost it’s charm in Regina’s eyes.

“I will not have my daughter growing up next to her.” She grumbled. “I’d rather have you living in my house before I let that happen.”

Emma’s heart jumped when she heard that, and for a moment she imagined what living with Regina would be like. Her mind drifted to imagining the two of them, waking up in the same bed, their baby asleep in the nursery next door and Henry in his own room.

“Emma?”

Emma was drawn out of her thoughts by Regina’s demanding voice.

“I was expecting some sort of snide remark from you. Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I just spaced out.” Emma shrugged. “I might have to take you up on that offer, if you keep finding things wrong with all the places I could live in.”

“I liked the first place.”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re not moving here. I’d rather burn this house down.”

“Don’t.” 

“Only if you promise you won’t move here. I do not want my child to live under the influence of  _ her _ .”

“Fine, if it matters so much to you, I won’t move into my dream apartment.”

“Don’t worry, I saved the best one for last.” Regina smirked, opening the car door for Emma in a moment of chivalry.

The last was indeed the best; it was the top floor apartment facing the park, just five minutes from Regina’s house. The floors were hardwood, and there was a fireplace and a bathtub and a master bedroom with a bath and it seemed perfect. The rent was a little on the expensive side, but Emma figured she could afford it with her monthly paycheck. She especially liked the fact that there was a spiralling staircase to the bedrooms, which she knew her child would absolutely love.

Regina was looking at the same stairs with absolute terror in her eyes. She could already visualise the clumsy Savior’s spawn clambering up and down those stairs, sliding down the rails and busting her head open on the sharp metal edges of the stairs.

“I think this is great.” Emma said. Her voice echoed in the empty space, and she turned around to look at Regina. “Isn’t it?”

“You’ll have to do something about those stairs.”

“What’s wrong with the stairs?”

“They’re a safety hazard.”

“For who? Me?”

“Yes, you, who seems to have an innate ability to trip over air.” Regina remarked. “I’m preparing for the fact that our child will most likely inherit your lack of coordination skills.”

“Excuse you. The kid’s going to be just as great at sports as I was.”

“Being good at sports doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not clumsy, dear.”

Emma stuck her tongue out at Regina. “You’re just jealous that I was a cool kid.”

“Sure.”

“Do you think she’ll have magical powers?”

Regina couldn’t deny she hadn’t spent a long while pondering over this very question. “Most likely yes.”

“Have you ever raised a magical baby?”

“No.”

“Met one?”

“No.”

“Do you think we’ll survive this one?”

“We’ll have to.”

Emma stood a few feet away from Regina, her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted ever-so-slightly. She was studying Regina, openly at that, as if she was challenging her to ask what she was doing.

Regina did just that. “What are you looking at?”

“You.”

“Why?”

“No reason.” Emma said in a chirpy voice. “I think this is it. I could make this my home.”

“Emma...do not change the subject. What was that look?”

“Nothing.”

Outside, the sun had long set. The apartment had grown dark, the only light coming from the one lamp hanging above their heads. Regina stared at Emma, and could not fathom the smirk that remained on the blonde’s lips.

“I’ve never noticed how much you cared.” Emma said. 

Regina gaped at Emma, not comprehending what was happening. The blonde walked over, the smirk still plastered on her face, and stopped just a breath away from Regina. 

“It’s adorable.”

“You did not just call me adorable.”

“I think I did. And maybe it’s the intoxicating pregnancy hormones speaking, but I think you liked it.”

Regina furrowed her brows. “Are you okay?”

A slender hand slipped into hers, warm fingers interlocking with hers. Regina’s eyes darted down to look at their hands, but her gaze was lifted up by a gentle touch of Emma’s finger on her chin. The blonde’s face was just inches from hers, those green eyes studying her intently.

“Do you feel it?” Emma asked quietly. Regina parted her lips slightly, expecting the blonde to kiss her, but was left hanging as Emma turned her head downwards to avoid her gaze.

“Feel what?” She asked, not letting go of Emma’s hand. She wanted the blonde to look back at her, to come back close, to kiss her.

“This. Whatever this is.” Emma mumbled.

“I--”

And then those soft, pink lips were on hers, warm and soft and oh so gentle. Regina couldn’t help but be surprised, but the feel of Emma’s lips against hers was just too good for her to ignore. She sighed and kissed Emma back, trying to be as soft, and felt those pink lips smile against hers.

And then Emma pulled away, her eyes now shy and avoiding her gaze. Regina opened her mouth, tried to speak - but she was still too stunned to properly function.

“I’ll walk home.” Emma said quietly. “Good night.”

Regina stayed in the dark apartment for a long while after Emma was gone. She could not believe what had just happened. It was something she had thought to be impossible, and yet here she was, her lips tingling and still tasting like Emma’s mouth and her senses just about demolished.

It should have been impossible.

More impossible than two women having a baby by magical accident.

Far more impossible than that.

“The universe is testing me.” Regina sighed after a long while, her words disappearing into the darkness. Emma Swan was testing her, and she was not sure if she was strong enough to survive it. Just that short, chaste kiss had been enough to make her feel more than any of her previous lovers had done. "That idiot."

 


	7. Come To Dinner?

“Aand there. That’s your baby, right there.” 

Emma peered at the screen, squinting her eyes. “That peanut-looking thing?”

She heard Regina scoff and lean in closer across the bed. Her arm brushed against Emma’s, and the blonde felt a jolt where the woman’s bare arm had touched hers. “Don’t you dare call her a peanut.”

“What? That’s what she looks like.” Emma insisted.

“I’m just...gonna go.” Dr. Whale muttered, hurrying out of the room before the fight began.

“You may be right, but, as you so informed me, she can hear us.”

“You hear that, Peanut? That’s your Mom. She’s kinda cranky.”

“Don’t listen to her, I’m the only voice of reason in this family.” Regina quipped back. 

“When you come out, you better like me more. I know she has cooler stuff but I carried you. I’m going to birth you.”

“That’s not fair.”

“I know it isn’t.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “You’re kind of an idiot, you know that?”

Emma smiled. She and Regina hadn’t spoken since the kiss - it had been over a week - but for this appointment, she had called the woman personally to make sure she was coming. After all, this was their first look at their baby.

She wasn’t sure why she had kissed Regina. She wasn’t entirely sure of what had gone down that night; she had been tired and on a hormonal high, but the kiss she remembered in high definition. She especially remembered wanting more, to never stop. She hadn’t wanted to leave. But, seeing the confusion on Regina’s face, she had decided it was best to pretend it never happened. She hadn’t wanted to ruin the budding friendship.

Because, to be honest, she was an expert at ruining relationships. Her relationship with Neal had been a disaster; her almost-fiance turned out to be a flying monkey, and she and Killian had crashed and burned before they had even properly started.

So now, a week later, she was glad to see they were still able to bicker like they used to. It was as though the kiss never happened.

“So, did you get the apartment?”

Emma realised she’d spaced out again and blushed. “Yeah, I move in next week.”

“I’ll make sure Gold doesn’t rip you off.”

“You don’t need to.”

“Somebody has to. He’s a nightmarish landlord.”

“Fair enough.”

Dr. Whale came back in and after giving them prints of the sonograms and scheduling their next appointment, they headed out. Before Emma could climb into her bug, she felt a gentle hand on her elbow and turned quickly to find Regina standing beside her.

“Emma.”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to come have dinner with me tonight.”

Emma stared at Regina. The tone that the woman used was nowhere near what she was used to; it was soft, gentle, almost afraid. She looked into her eyes and saw that Regina was, indeed, afraid - but of what, that Emma did not know.

“Um, yeah. Sure. Make sure to make a lot of food.”

“Naturally.”

“What time should I come?”

“Is six okay?”

“Sure. See you then.”

* * *

As Emma made her way to Regina’s place later that evening, she found she was nervous. She had tried dressing a bit nicer than normal, although her growing belly prevented her from wearing any of her already too tight jeans or pants. So, clad in leggings and the nicest sweater she owned, she knocked on Regina’s door and waited.

The woman opened the door almost immediately, flashing a smile upon seeing Emma.

“Hey.”

“Hey. Come on in.”

Emma left her boots in the foyer, along with her jacket. After pondering about it for awhile, she chose to leave her phone in her pocket, on silent. She didn’t want any distractions.

The delicious smell of lasagna was floating all over the house, and Emma realised she was starving. Regina noticed the hungry flash in the blonde’s eyes and chuckled to herself as she led her to the dining room where she had set the dinner.

“I hope you’re craving lasagna.”

“How did you know I was?”

“Intuition.” Regina hummed as she sat down across the table from Emma.

“Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m craving.” Emma said as she reached over and placed a large serving of lasagna onto her plate.

“I’m sure you do.” Regina smiled. For a moment, they just ate in silence. Regina gave Emma the time she needed to fill her stomach before striking up a conversation.

“So, um...how have you been?”

Emma looked up and shrugged. “Good, I guess. I’m showing for real now.”

“I noticed.”

“I can’t fit into any of my pants, either.”

“Considering most of what you own has an elastic waistband already, pregnancy clothes shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Have you seen the selection this town offers? It’s  _ horrendous _ .” Emma said.

The light conversation lasted all through dinner and dessert, which was an apple turnover. Emma couldn’t help but make a remark about Regina’s one-time murder attempt, but they were both able to laugh it off.

After dinner, they moved on into the living room, where Emma laid down onto the couch to rest her back. Regina brought them some tea, and for a while all was silent and comfortable.

But even in their comfortable silence, neither of the pair were able to keep themselves from glancing over at the other with curious, studious looks. The tension built up more and more with each look, until it finally broke when Regina sighed and spoke.

“Listen, Emma, about last week--”

Emma froze and gaped at Regina, terrified of what the woman would say.

“What was that?”

“I--I don’t know.”

“You asked me if I could feel...this. ‘Whatever this is’, you said.”

“I did.”

“Well...I think I do.”

“You do?”

“I do.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that asking you here, I was hoping it’d be like a date. I know it’s kind of stupid to say so after the fact, but-”

“It was a great date.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“So...we’re…”

“On a date.”

“On a date.”

“Kind of late, don’t you think?”

“Huh?”

“I’m almost six months pregnant with your kid, and only now you ask me on a date.”

Regina rolled her eyes. Even during this serious conversation, Emma couldn’t seem to help making jokes.

“I was afraid you didn’t want that kind of a relationship with me.”

“I might.”

“Might?”

“I might also be severely confused by the pregnancy hormones.”

“Ah.”

“But don’t worry.”

“Huh?”

“I really liked kissing you.”

Regina blushed and looked away. Emma had sat up, and was staring at her with those hazel green eyes in a way which made Regina’s heart race.

“Didn’t you?” She heard the blonde ask, her voice almost a whisper. She looked at Emma and saw that same fear of rejection reflected in her eyes.

“Of course I did, Emma. That kiss...it was perfect.”

“Until I stopped.”

“Until you stopped.”

“Then come here.” Emma said, patting the seat next to her. “I want to kiss you again.”

Regina was not used to being bossed around. She was also not used to the straight-forwardness Emma was displaying, and it startled her to say the least. As Emma kept looking at her expectantly, she got up and went over to sit next to the blonde. The green eyes found hers again, and for a moment Regina forgot to breathe as Emma just looked at her as though she could see to her soul. She had never felt so vulnerable, so open, and yet she had never been so comfortable in her life. 

Emma’s hand came to rest on top of Regina’s knee as she leaned in and kissed her, soft like a feather. Regina ran her fingers through that beautiful blonde hair, pulling the blonde in close as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue slipped into Emma’s mouth, tasting her and feeling her, and a tiny moan emerged from the blonde’s throat. 

The kiss ended abruptly when Emma made a squealing noise and pushed Regina back, her eyes wide.

“What? Did I do something wrong?” Regina asked quickly. Emma gasped as her hands went to her belly, and she looked at Regina with a smile on her face.

“The baby.”

“Is she okay?”

“She just kicked for the first time.”

“She did?”

Emma jumped slightly as she felt it again. “There it is again.”

Regina just stared in wonder, not knowing what to do or say. Her hand was still at the base of Emma’s neck. The blonde grabbed her other hand and promptly placed it on her belly, almost laughing with delight.

“You feel that?” She asked. 

“I do.” Regina gasped. Tears were brimming in her eyes, for that moment was all too surreal. Her baby was kicking. It all felt so real, so true, that she could not keep the tears from falling.

“Oh my god.” Emma laughed, noticing Regina tearing up. “You’re crying.”

“Yes I am.” Regina said, wiping at her eyes. “I just--oh my god.”

Emma reached over and pulled her in for a kiss. “This is amazing.” She murmured against Regina’s lips. “You’re amazing.”

Regina did not know how to react; she was kissing the love of her life, having just felt her baby kick for the first time, and she was crying. There were too many emotions happening for her to be sane.

And so she just opted to continue kissing Emma, enjoying that moment of pure, unbridled joy and comfort.

“She’s really going at it.” Emma said. It had been a while, and the baby had calmed down after the initial movements. “She’s a fighter.”

_ I love you _ , Regina thought to herself. She dared not say it aloud - not yet, not this fast. But she knew she did.

“She’s her Ma’s child.” She said softly.

“She’s our kid.” Emma replied, her voice almost a whisper.

_ I love you, _ Emma thought.  _ I love you, Regina Mills, even though you piss me off and annoy me and tried to kill me and ruin my life. I love you. _

But neither of them said anything.

 


	8. In Which Emma Is An Idiot

Dating Regina was far nicer than Emma had originally imagined. The woman, whose outer core was so icy cold and full of sarcasm and pointed jabs, had turned out to be one of the most caring people she had ever met in her life. Emma had quickly learned that although Regina was very willing to display affection through actions, she was not very savvy with words.

Luckily, neither was Emma.

She was laying on the couch of her new apartment, her feet propped up and a bowl of popcorn resting on top of her considerably large belly. She was seven and a half months along, and by now she was very obviously pregnant. 

Although at first Emma had dreaded telling people about her pregnancy and the baby’s other biological mother, the information had quickly spread through town. If there were some who disagreed with the appropriateness of her and Regina’s arrangement, none spoke up. Emma suspected Snow had gathered the townspeople around and had a proper(and most likely threatening) talk explaining what was going on and what she was going to do to anyone who said a word to hurt her family.

She had started maternity leave when she had been seven months along. Although Emma would have liked to kept going up until the week she was due, Regina had insisted upon it, claiming it was not safe for the Sheriff of the town to be running about as pregnant as she was. And so, with nothing much left for her to do, Emma had taken up the habit of taking long walks. Running everyday errands like going to the store and Granny’s were her lifeline in the sense that they were things she could do by herself. She wouldn’t let anyone, not Snow or David or Regina, to do her cooking or laundry for her. She wanted to at least  _ pretend _ she was self-sufficient.

All three agreed that Emma was stubborn, but dared not say a word against her since she was very pregnant and very moody. One moment, Emma could be smiling and laughing, and the other she would be crying over the slightest little thing. Just the day before, Emma had cried when she had seen an adorable picture of a duck on TV, leaving her parents and Henry extremely confused.

The door slammed open, causing both Emma and the baby to jump in their respective spaces. Emma’s hand flew to her stomach in wonder, having not known the baby could be surprised by loud noises. She laid her head back to see Regina rushing over from the door with a worried look on your face.

“Is everything okay!?” She asked quickly. “You called and didn’t say anything and when I called back you didn't answer and I thought you were hurt and-”

“Regina, calm down.” Emma laughed. “It was probably a butt-dial. I’m fine. The baby’s fine.”

Regina’s stare went from a worried look to a full on, furious glare in practically no time at all. “That’s the second time this week.” She snapped as she stomped over to the door and closed it. “You should be more careful, one day I’m going to have a heart attack and die because you keep scaring the living daylights out of me.”

“I’m sorry.” Emma pouted, unable to keep the smile from her face.

Regina walked over and planted an angry kiss on Emma’s face. “You’re an idiot.”

“Well, this idiot is carrying your baby. Who, by the way, was scared by the racket you made bursting in.”

“What?”

“When you slammed the door open. She jumped.”

“And you think she’s okay?”

“Of course she is. She just got scared, is all.”

Regina bent over to press a gentle kiss on Emma’s belly. “I’m sorry I scared you, baby girl.” She said softly.

“You’re adorable.”

“I know.”

“Your confidence never ceases to amaze me.”

Regina kissed Emma. “Of course it doesn’t.” 

“Want some popcorn? I’m watching Masterchef.”

“Masterchef?” Regina asked. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’ve got popcorn.”

“Emma-”

“Fine, I’m starving but I was too lazy to get up.” Emma sighed.

“I’ll make you dinner. What would you like?”

“Anything.”

“Cravings?”

“Pasta.”

“Pasta it is.” Regina said as she got up and walked over to the kitchen. Emma turned to watch her - after all, this was a far better version of Masterchef. She watched as Regina pulled her hair up in a high pony tail, and for a moment longed to be behind her, pressing her lips against her bare neck. She especially enjoyed watching as Regina slaved over the hot stove, doing whatever godly magic necessary to whip up foods which emanated the delicious smells that soon floated all over the apartment.

Regina let her stay where she was, and when the food was ready, she brought the two plates over to the couch and flashed Emma the warmest smile she could muster.

“Just so you know, I won’t tolerate this once the baby’s out.” She told Emma.

“What do you mean?”

“No eating on the couch.” Regina quipped. “Is it good?”

“Delicious.” Emma moaned, her mouth full of food. “It’s amazing.”

“Why thank you.”

“The baby thanks you too.” Emma told her.

Once they were done, Regina leaned back on the couch and just stared at Emma. She looked at the blonde with wonder in her eyes - to her, she was a miracle. She was carrying  _ her child _ , and she appeared to truly be growing to like her more than Regina ever thought possible. Though neither of them had yet to speak of love, she could almost feel it on the tip of her tongue, just aching to get out.

But instead, she just closed her eyes and savored the moment.

 

* * *

 

Emma was worried. Her friendship with Regina was so good; she enjoyed talking with her and hanging out with her and she was already an excellent mother. She was worried about the other stuff - the romance.

She loved Regina, that much she knew. But she had also loved Neal, and thought to have loved Walsh, and could have in time learned to love Killian. And all those relationships had ended oh so painfully.

She felt as though she was mostly responsible; she should have known not to trust Neal as much as she did, and with Walsh, she should have noticed he was a  _ flying monkey _ . And Killian spewed out more lies than truths. How did she ever even end up with him in the first place?

Emma wanted everything to run along smoothly. This thing with Regina felt too good to be true, and in time she had convinced herself that she was only overwhelmed by the pregnancy and actually just infatuated with Regina.

Besides, what chance did she have? She was crap at relationships.

With a heavy sigh, Emma accepted what she thought had to be done.

“Regina.” Emma spoke into her phone. “I need to see you. Can you come over?”

Before long, Regina arrived at her place. As she stepped in, she leaned in to kiss Emma, but was denied as the blonde turned her cheek.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, feeling hurt that Emma hadn’t let her kiss her.

“Let’s sit.”

Regina instantly knew something was indeed wrong, and fear enveloped her heart. “Emma…”

“Look, Regina. This baby...she deserves the best chance. And I know you’re a great mother, and I’ll be one too - but I don’t want for our friendship to be ruined.”

“Why would it be ruined?”

“Because...I think we should stop seeing each other.”

“Why?”

“We’re better off as friends.” Emma said. She could practically hear her mind screaming in protest, but fought to retain a cold tone. “I just...I don’t have the best track record with relationships. I have the worst luck. And I don’t want our kids to have to suffer from my mistakes.”

“So you’re breaking up with me.”

“Yes. It’s for the best.”

Regina wanted to shake Emma, to tell her that she was so wrong it hurt. But she didn’t. Emma was pregnant and at this current moment, very vulnerable. So she tread carefully.

“I--Emma, I-”

“Don’t say it.” Emma warned her. “You know I’m right. I can’t trust anyone like I trust myself. And I trust you now, but not enough. I don’t trust myself enough to think that this relationship won’t be wrecked eventually by me.”

Regina bit her lip and fought the tears which were building up in her eyes. “I understand.” She spoke in a hollow, monotonous voice. She certainly did not understand. But for now, she was too hurt to be reasonable. She saw that Emma needed time.

And she did too.

“I’m going to go.” She said quietly. “Good night.”

“Good night, Regina.” Emma replied, equally as quiet. There was a puff of smoke, and Regina was gone. Emma then let the sobs break free and fell backwards onto the sofa, clutching a pillow against her chest as the tears fell.

She knew it was for the best. It had to be. 

Her daughter deserved a stable family.

But man, getting to it hurt.

 


	9. The Nursery

Regina was feeling a great number of things when she appeared back at her house. She was hurt, she was upset, and, most importantly, she was angry. Emma didn’t know what she was doing; she thought she was doing what she thought was best, but Regina refused to accept that.

She had fallen for two people in her life.

One of them was dead.

The other was Emma Swan.

And she sure as hell was not going to let that just slip away.

No, she had to do something. She had to prove to Emma that this was worth it. That they could do it. That they could conquer whatever obstacles came at them. That she could trust her.

Regina let out a shaky breath and forced herself to calm down. She was going to do it. She was going to show that idiot that she was wrong.

In another puff of smoke, she apparated to the Charmings’ loft, practically landing on top of the woman she had been looking for. Snow shrieked and tripped, but was caught by Regina.

“Regina?” Snow gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Is it Emma? Is she okay?”

“Physically, yes. But I’m pretty sure she’s lost her mind.”

“What?” Snow exclaimed, gesturing for Regina to take a seat. “What do you mean? Is the baby safe?”

“Yes.”

“Then what is it?”

Regina looked at the woman, who was so eager to help her despite their differences, and tried to look as apologetic as she could. “Look. I’m not sure if you know, but Emma and I have been sort of dating for the past few weeks.”

“Dating?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s wrong? You’re not here to ask for her hand, are you?”

“No. She broke up with me.”

“Oh.”

“But she’s wrong.”

“Oh?”

“I--I love her, and I’m not going to just let her slip away like that. She’s freaking out because she thinks she’ll wreck what we have and force our daughter to grow up in a broken home, but she’s wrong.” The words tumbled out of Regina's mouth, and she no longer cared who knew and who didn't. She didn't care that she was confessing her love of Snow's daughter to  _Snow White_. She didn't care, because all that mattered to her was that she fix this situation.

Snow was staring at her with wide eyes, not speaking. Regina could see the gears turning in her head, and tapped at the table impatiently as she waited for the woman to come to her senses.

“You love Emma?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Does she know?”

“No.”

“Does she love you?”

“I think so.”

“Why haven’t you told her you love her?”

“I wanted to wait. Make it special or whatever.”

“And she’s freaking out because she doesn’t want to ruin your friendship.” Snow repeated. “Hmm.”

“Can you talk to her?”

“I’m not sure that’s wise.”

“Why?”

“The last time I gave her relationship advice, Hook broke up with her.”

“That was you?”

“I didn’t mean for them to break up.” Snow protested. “It just...it was an accident. But she blames me, so she won't listen."

“Fine, so you’ll be no help.” Regina huffed. “I need to prove to her that I can do this. That we can do this.”

“Can you?”

“I want to.”

“But can you? Do it?”

“Yes.” Regina sighed. “I know we can. But Emma’s not seeing it because she’s pregnant and ridiculous and so annoying--”

“Regina-”

“What? I’m just stating facts.”

“Listen. I’m not going to lie to you, I think the idea of you loving my daughter is bizarre to say at least. But you seem sincere enough, so I’ll give you some advice.”

“Anything.”

“Do something for her. Something considerate.”

Regina thought for a moment. “I have an idea. But I’m going to need your help.”

“With what?”

“I’m going to convince her to move in with me.”

“How is that going to--”

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

 

* * *

 

A few days later, Emma woke up to a knock at her door. It was dark outside, and for a moment she thought she had imagined  it. But, as it persisted, she groaned and wobbled down to the foyer.

Behind her door stood Regina. The woman looked like a miserable puppy , and Emma could feel her heart twisting with guilt as she noticed the dark circles underneath her eyes.

“Hey.” She said shyly. “What’s up?”

“Do you trust me?”

Emma stood there, dumbfounded, not sure what to say. Regina didn’t move, didn’t change her expression, just repeated the question.

“Emma, do you trust me?”

“I--”

“Just trust me enough to believe me when I tell you that you’re being a complete and utter idiot.”

“Did you just come here to insult me?”

“No, I came here to show you something.”

Emma thought that Regina was going to kiss her when the woman leaned forward. Instead, she felt Regina’s hand on her arm, so gentle, and looked up in confusion. She realised she was disappointed that Regina hadn’t kissed her, despite knowing that’s exactly what she had told Regina she wanted just a few days ago.

“What?” She asked, her voice breaking.

“I need to show you something.”

“Where?”

“My house.”

Emma grabbed her coat and keys and followed Regina, curious and confused and very startled by the whole thing. The whole drive over to Regina’s place lasted all but a minute, and when they arrived, she was led by Regina up the stairs and before a door.

“What is it?” Emma asked, eyeing the door cautiously.

“Open it.”

Emma did as asked, pushing down the handle and stepping in.  Upon seeing the room, she gasped, for it was the most perfect little nursery. The walls were papered white, with paintings and other pretty things hanging on them. Before the floor-to-ceiling window stood a crib, the most beautiful crib Emma had ever seen, white with blue and pink and green flowers carved all over. Above the crib hung the glass unicorn mobile which Emma had seen so many times in Gold’s shop, the exact same one which should have hung over her own crib.

There was a comfortable rocking chair next to a white bookshelf, empty for now, with a few Dr. Seuss books and Henry’s storybook placed on display. Next to the bookshelf was a changing station, and on the floor there was the softest, furriest pale green rug which Emma had ever seen.

“It’s beautiful.” She whispered. Regina stood behind her, noticing the tension had gone from the blonde’s shoulders altogether, and smiled to herself. She walked over to the crib and pulled out a knitted blanket, almost identical to Emma's. It was white, like Emma's, but was yet to have a name embroidered on it.

"Your mother helped me make this. I figured our baby would need a baby blanket."

Emma took the blanket into her hands and admired it, feeling the burning sensation of tears in her eyes. She turned away so that Regina wouldn't see them - she felt too vulnerable already.

Regina leaned in close, resting her head on Emma’s shoulder,  and placed her hands on Emma’s waist.

“Imagine putting our daughter to sleep in that crib.” She whispered in Emma’s ear. “Or teaching her to walk across that rug. It won’t matter if she falls, the rug is soft.” She could feel Emma’s head lean against hers, and felt her heart skip a beat. But she continued, ever so quietly, to describe all the things that she herself could so easily visualise in this room. “Imagine reading her a bedtime story from Henry’s book, sitting in that rocking chair. Watching her little eyes droop as she falls asleep, and turning off the light before creeping back to our bed.” Regina heard Emma draw in a breath, and feared she’d gone too far. The blonde withdrew from her and turned around slowly to face her with tears in her eyes.

“Regina, I-- I can’t. I can’t risk it.”

“Risk what?”

“Losing you.”

"Losing me?"

"What if one day I go too far and you leave?" Emma snapped. "What if you realise one day that I'm not worth it?"

“You're more than worth it, Emma, that’s what I’m telling you. “ Regina  sighed. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“But I always drive people away.”

“I tried to kill you.” 

Emma looked at Regina in confusion. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“I’ve done some horrible things to you. I’ve literally tried to kill you. But we overcame that. We were able to be friends and be fine despite me having spent the first few months of our acquaintance wanting you dead. You say you cannot trust yourself to not wreck this. I say go ahead. Try. Try to wreck me, because I’m pretty sure you can’t. You think you were wrong to trust Neal, but you also know there was so much more to his leaving than just betrayal. And Walsh was a very convincing human, not to mention you didn’t remember anything about magic.”

“Regina--”

“And Killian, although charming, was an asshole. The relationships that you think you’ve wrecked weren’t your fault, Emma. I just think you’re scared to take the leap with me.”

“I am.”

“And I am too.”

“What?”

“I’m terrified of this. I don’t know how to love. I’ve literally spent decades murdering and torturing people. The one man I ever loved was murdered, I killed my own father, and my mother - well, I sort of killed her too. What I’m saying is that I didn’t know how to love. I learned to love Henry, but I thought romantic love was far beyond my reach. And yet, somehow, I love you.”

Emma felt like she was going to faint when she heard those three little words. Regina noticed her face going white, and ran over to catch her and help her over to the rocking chair. “Are you okay?” She asked, the only thing on her mind the safety of Emma and their baby. “I’m sorry I said that, I know you told me not to say it and I did anyway and you probably won’t ever speak to me agai-”

“Shut up.” Emma sighed, swatting Regina gently. “Just...shut up.”

Regina closed her mouth and looked at Emma, thinking it was all over.  _ At least I said it, _ she thought to herself.  _ Whatever happens next, I can handle it. _

She heard a gentle sob, and looked at Emma to see that she was crying, her face buried in her hands. She kneeled beside the chair and placed her hands on Emma’s knees, looking at the blonde with such concern anyone looking would have felt bad.

“Emma...I’m sorry.”

Emma took one hand and promptly put it on top of Regina’s mouth to shut her up. “Shush.”

Regina looked up at Emma in confusion, raising her eyebrows in question.

“Don’t say anything.” Emma whispered, her voice breaking. She withdrew her hand and looked away. “If you keep talking I’m going to cry and I don’t want to cry.”

Regina wanted to ask why Emma was about to cry. She wanted to wipe away those tears and hold the blonde to her chest and just soothe her. She didn’t want her feeling sad.

Emma bit her lip. “I--I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Regina blurted out.

“I’m an idiot.”

_ Finally, something we can agree on.  _ Regina sighed but didn’t say a word. 

Emma placed her hands on top of Regina’s. “I love you too.”

And in that instant, it was Regina who felt like she was going to faint. Her world flipped upside down and spun around when she heard Emma say those words, and her heart stopped for those precious few moments. She bit her lip, as it was she who now felt like crying. A single tear trickled down her cheek, and she felt Emma’s thumb brush it away. Her hand lingered there, cupping her face, and in that moment, Regina was happy.

“I still kind of hate you sometimes,” Emma continued, smiling through her tears. “But I love you. I really really do.”

Regina sighed and rose up to meet Emma’s lips with her own. She wasn’t one for words.

Actions were her forte.

The kiss was long and wet, not just from their mouths but from the tears which dampened both of their cheeks. Emma’s hands were on Regina’s face, keeping her close, while her lips moved with Regina’s softly and gently and so full of love they felt they would burst.

As if on cue, Emma felt a little punch from the baby, and giggled. Regina looked at her in confusion, but quickly noticed Emma’s hand on was on her belly and smiled.

“Looks like our little miss is glad, too.” She placed her hand on Emma’s belly, next to her hand, and smiled.

“I love you.” Emma sighed. “Holy fucking shit, I love you.”

“What did I say about swearing?” Regina teased, the smile only widening on her face.

“I think she’s asleep.” Emma shrugged.

“No she’s not.”

“She’s my kid. She’ll be born knowing all the swearwords in the book. I’m just teaching her the appropriate context.”

“Appropriate indeed.” Regina chuckled, leaning in for another kiss.   
  



	10. Let's Just Go Home

The next day, Emma barged into Regina’s house at five AM with a small pile of books in her hands. She let herself in using the key Regina had given her, and knew the she would still be asleep. Henry, too, was most likely still asleep - he had, after all, inherited Emma’s sleep schedule.

Pregnancy changed many a thing, but the most odd for Emma was the sudden change in her sleep. She would get tired around seven and wake up at five, each morning, ready for the day.

She put the books down onto a side table and snuck upstairs. It was a beautiful spring morning, the sun was shining through the curtains and the birds were singing outside.

None of that could have been noticed from Regina’s bedroom. The curtains were drawn shut, not allowing a single ray of sunlight in, making the room pitch dark. Emma, noticing Regina was still fast asleep, paused for a moment to just look at her. In the dark, it was hard to see exactly, but it looked like Regina was laying sprawled on the bed like a starfish, the covers and pillows scattered around her. Emma smiled to herself and turned to leave.

“Morning.” Came a muffled greeting from amidst the covers. Emma turned around to see Regina had lifted her head, her hair in the most un-Regina-like bedhead Emma could ever have imagined.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Your car woke me up.” Regina grumbled as she sat up. “You do realise it is literally the loudest thing in existence, right?”

Emma laughed. “As if.”

“What are you doing here so early?”

“I’m reserving you for the day.”

“Oh?”

“We have a very important decision to make.”

“And what’s that?”

“What we’ll name her.”

 

* * *

 

Once Regina was all done with her surprisingly long morning routine, she walked downstairs in a full face of makeup and looking as happy as ever. It was Saturday, and Henry was still fast asleep, so they had the downstairs all to themselves. She entered the living room to find Emma sprawled on the couch, flipping through the pages of a baby name book. There were two cups of coffee and an assortment of pastries on the table before her, apparently her idea of breakfast.

Regina sat down at the other edge of the couch, and Emma shifted slightly to allow her to be more comfortable. 

“You expect me to eat this?” She said, eyeing the bearclaw which Emma was offering her.

“Try it. It’s delightful.”

“It’s full of empty calories.”

“Humor me.”

Regina ate the bear claw, refusing to admit that she actually really liked it, and delved into another baby name book. 

“I think we should gather a list of our favorites and then compare later.”

“Good idea.”

When Henry found his way downstairs minutes before ten o’clock, he was all too pleased to find his moms on the couch, together, their hands interlocked.

“I knew it.”

Both Emma and Regina jumped at the sound, and looked at Henry in surprise.

“What do you mean?” Regina asked. Emma just stuck her tongue out at Henry, who slumped down into an armchair and grabbed himself a donut.

“I was right.” Henry chuckled. “You two are in love.”

“Shut it, kid.”

“And you said I was wrong.”

“Emma?” Regina asked, turning to look at the blonde. “What’s he talking about?”

“When I was telling him about the pregnancy he tried to guess what I had to say and said we were in love and I said no.” Emma explained, blushing slightly. 

“That was months before we even--”

“I know.” Emma sighed. “You were right, kid. Congrats. You’re going to have two insufferable moms who might even commit PDA. Prepare yourself.”

Henry just laughed gently to himself. “What are you guys doing?”

“Looking for a name for the baby.”

“Do you mind if I play video games?”

“Of course not, dear. Just not too loud.”

“All right, Regina, I think it’s time to compare lists. Give me yours.”

“Wait, just a second.” Regina scribbled one more name onto her paper and gave it to Emma, receiving another in return.

“Victoria?” Emma exclaimed. “Nope.”

“Cecily? No.” Regina retorted. “And Sofia? Not a chance.”

“I kind of like Alexandra.”

“I do too.”

“Oh, but we are  _ not  _ naming her Jane. No way.”

“What’s wrong with Jane?” Regina asked. “I think it’s nice.”

“It’s...I don’t know. It doesn’t seem right for our baby.”

“What about Edith?”

“It’s ok...for an old lady.”

"Hey! I think it's pretty." Regina complained.  “Isabella.”

“What? That’s not on my list.” Emma asked, leaning over to look.

“I know it isn’t. It’s not on mine either. I just thought of it. Do you like it?”

“Isabella…” Emma tasted the name in her mouth. “Izzy.” 

“Well?”

“It’s a strong contender, let’s just say that.”

After vetoing every other name on each other’s lists, the two of them were left with a choice between Alexandra and Isabella.

“I don’t think I can choose.” Emma sighed. “They’re both nice but somehow I think it’s wrong to name her before we’ve even actually met her. What if we name her Alexandra when she’s really an Isabella?”

“Calm down, dear, we don’t have to make any decisions yet. We’ll just keep these two and see which works better.”

“Or we could do a survey.”

“And let strangers name our baby?”

“Why not?” Emma asked. “And I wasn’t thinking strangers. More like family and friends.”

“Well…”

“Hey, kid!” Emma called out to Henry. “Which do you like better, Alexandra or Isabella?”

“Isabella.” Henry said. “There’s an Alexandra in my class and she’s annoying.”

“Oh. Then we can’t name her Alexandra.” Emma said. “Isabella it is.”

“Just like that?”

“We’ve got time to change our minds,  _ dear _ .” Emma told Regina, throwing her arms around the woman’s neck. “Maybe not a lot of time, but time anyway.”

 

* * *

 

Later that day, Regina received a phone call from none other than Snow White.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

“Did it work?” Snow asked.

“Yes, it did.” 

Regina heard a squeal and rolled her eyes. 

“I’m so happy for you two.”

“Hold your horses, Snow, we’re just dating. Those are not wedding bells that you hear.”

“We’ll see.” Snow said mysteriously. “Want to come for dinner?”

“Dinner?”

“Yes, you and Emma and Henry.”

“Today?”

“Yes.”

“Sure.”

“Great. See you at seven. Bring empty stomachs.”

The line clicked, and Regina stood in place for a long while. Snow was treating her like family. In fact, she now had a proper family, with a girlfriend and a son and a baby on the way.

The idea of wedding bells still seemed too foreign for her, though.

But they had time.

“Who was that on the phone?” Emma asked as she walked into the kitchen.

“Your mother.”

“Why’d she call you?”

“To see whether or not our majestic ploy had worked.”

“Ploy? You planned this with my mother?”

“Well I do not know how to knit so I needed help.” Regina shrugged.

“What did Snow want?”

“She invited us to dinner.”

“All of us?”

“All of us.”

“Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?”

“A family dinner.” Emma smiled, setting down her cup. “With a real family.”

“What does that entail, exactly?”

“Well we don’t murder each other.” Emma started. “And we’re nice to each other and during Snow’s Saturday dinners we usually play board games as we eat.”

“As you eat?”

“Don’t make it sound so barbaric.” Emma scoffed. “You’ll play Monopoly with the rest of us and you  _ will _ enjoy it. Trust me.”

“I'll try.”

 

* * *

 

Arriving at the Charming loft was a surreal experience for Regina. Upon entering, she was welcomed with a warm, friendly hug from both Snow and her idiot husband(from whom Regina realized Emma must have inherited her idiocy). Emma hadn’t been joking about the board game - in the middle of the table there was a game of Monopoly, all set up, with plates and cups set amidst the playing pieces and cards. The dinner itself consisted of a large variety of finger foods ranging from fried chicken and fries to potato skins and nachos and anything one could imagine. There was hot cocoa and iced tea - the only two choices - and Regina felt so out of her element she wanted to run.

But Emma’s hand was in hers, pulling her towards the table, and she had no other choice.

Throughout the dinner(or game), Regina noticed the Charmings glancing over to her and Emma’s direction. There were studious looks and hushed whispers exchanged between the two of them, and for a while she felt uncomfortable. But, noticing the little laughs the two of them shared, and the sheer pride which seemed to emanate from their being, Regina was able to shush her mind about worrying. 

Turns out Emma was a masterful Monopoly player, while Regina, ironically enough, was absolute crap at it. Emma took immense pleasure in completely demolishing her in the game, seeing the Mayor’s annoyance in her rise with each win. She would’ve cackled evilly if she could, but that at least she had the sense to avoid doing.

The night grew long, and they left the loft at about midnight when Emma became sleepy and Henry was just about tuckered out. Regina drove quietly and carefully towards her house, intending to stop by at Emma’s apartment to drop her off. When she was coming up to the turn to Emma’s place, Emma stopped her by saying:

“Let’s just go home.”

It was so simple and yet Regina’s heart melted upon hearing it. She hadn’t talked to Emma about how much she wanted the blonde to move in; after all, it only made sense with the baby coming and their relationship booming as ever. 

“Home.” She mused. “Does that mean you’re moving in?”

“Yes. On one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“I get my own room.”

Regina’s heart sank a little. “Don’t you want to share a bed?”

“Oh no, we’re sharing a bed all right. But I need my own space, for things.”

“That’s perfectly fine. You can have any of the guest bedrooms.”

“Plural?” Emma exclaimed, her voice rising. Realising Henry was asleep in the back seat, she lowered her voice and looked flustered. “How big exactly is your house?”

“I can give you a tour if you’d like.” Regina smirked as she pulled up in the drive. “But I can assure you, there’s plenty of rooms for you to make your own space in.”

Emma got out of the car and stood in the driveway, looking at 108 Miffin Street. It had always been Regina’s house, the Mayor’s house. But now it was going to be her house, too.

Their house.

Their home.

She giggled excitedly and headed down the path towards the door. She was certainly going to take Regina up on that offer of a tour. There was so much she hadn’t seen of the house and she just wanted to know it all, every last nook and corner.


	11. A Rainy Thursday in July

The last weeks of Emma’s pregnancy were grueling, not just for Emma but everyone around her. She grew increasingly uncomfortable as the due date approached, especially after the baby dropped into what Dr. Whale called the birthing position. In her mind(and aloud at her worse moments) she called it the ‘let’s make Ma as uncomfortable as we can’ position. It felt like she had a melon sitting on her pelvis, and she found herself complaining of discomfort more and more.

“Can’t this baby come out already?” was one of her most common phrases as her due date approached. Regina found herself unable to be annoyed by the blonde’s constant groaning and complaining - after all, she was carrying several pounds of baby and was adorable, even when she was cursing under her breath and snapping at her for no apparent reason.

About a week before D-day, as Regina had come to call it, there was a strange change in Emma’s behavior. The previously lazy and tiresome blonde transformed, as though overnight, into a domestic goddess of sorts; Regina watched, bewildered, as Emma went about the house, cleaning and reorganizing and babyproofing every corner and inch of their home. When she asked Snow about it, Charming had interjected and told her that Snow had done the exact thing both times when she was pregnant and that it was safest to stay away. “She might bite,” he had said, and Regina had never really figured out whether he was joking. She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

It was a rainy Thursday morning in July when the baby decided she had had enough of Emma’s womb. At first, Emma had thought the contractions to be just false labor and practice contractions - she’d been having them a lot, and thus didn’t think much of them. But then, all of a sudden, she felt the pain.

She groaned so loudly that Regina came running from the other side of the house.

“What is it?” She asked quickly. “Are you okay?”

Emma leaned against the wall and sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Really?” Regina asked, eyeing Emma. “You’re really pale.”

Emma felt a popping sensation, and the next second she felt her pants getting wet. “Shit.”

“What?”

“Get the car keys, this baby’s coming now.” Emma grumbled as she headed for the door.

“I could just zap us to the hospital.”

“Don’t you remember Blue said that could be dangerous for the baby? No, we’re taking the car.”

Emma’s hand gripped Regina’s arm hard as another contraction hit her. She gritted her teeth and groaned as she waited for the pain to subside, causing Regina to panic.

“Your water broke, Emma. I don’t know how much time we have left.”

Emma let out a sigh of relief as the contraction stopped. “It’s fine. I got this. We got this.”

Regina, on the other hand, was terrified. She wouldn’t have known what to do and where to go were it not for Emma being so calm and prepared. The go bag had been in the car for weeks now, and all they had to do was get in the car.

Of course, her own car wouldn’t start for some goddamn reason. Cursing under her breath, she helped Emma into the yellow bug, praying the car wouldn’t break down before they made it to the hospital. As they pulled out of the driveway, just three minutes later, Emma was surprised by another contraction, much more painful than the one before. She breathed in sharply and squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to cry out in fear of scaring Regina and causing her to drive off the road.

The rain had turned into a thunderstorm, and as luck would have it, while they were driving down a road across the forest, lightning struck right ahead, causing a tree to fall across the road. Regina screamed and slammed the brakes, and for a moment feared they’d collide with the tree.

They stopped just a few yards from the first branch, and for a moment, Regina sighed a breath of relief.

“Just our luck.” She grumbled.

But then Emma cried out in pain and she remembered why they were driving in the first place.

“Oh my god, Emma, I’m so sorry, we’ll have to go another way-”

“I don’t think there’s time.” Emma panted. “They’re two minutes apart now.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means, Regina-” Emma groaned as the pain started again. Her groan grew to a scream, and Regina no longer needed Emma to finish that sentence. That baby was coming, and she was coming now. Regina tried to lower the back of Emma’s seat down completely to allow the blonde more room, but it was jammed. So instead she waved her hand and the seat merged with the backseat, becoming a sort of bed on which Emma now lay. Once the contraction was over, Emma shuffled back to rest against the back seat. She was sweating, her eyes exhausted and her breath labored as she looked at Regina with glazed eyes.

“This hurts so fucking much.” She winced. Regina was watching in horror, unsure of what she should do. "Why does it have to hurt so much?"

“What do I do?” She asked. “I’ve already called 911, and they’re on their way but they say it’ll be at least 20 minutes-”

“This baby isn’t going to wait twenty minutes!” Emma cried as yet another contraction overwhelmed her every cell with more pain than she remembered was possible. And she screamed.

Regina, on the phone with the ambulance, received orders from both the staff as well as from Emma.

“Be ready to catch the baby,” The lady on the other end, Amelie, said. “She sounds just about ready now.”

“Hold my hand,” cried Emma. Regina was in autopilot - hearing Emma scream terrified her to her core, and she was even more scared because she wasn’t sure she was qualified. But, as Amelie told her on the phone, she was the most qualified because she was the only one there. She reached up to offer Emma her hand as yet another contraction came her way and looked down to see the baby’s head pushing it’s way through Emma.

In any other time, this would have been the point where Regina fainted. But this was the woman she loved, and that was her baby. She was not about to miss any of it.

She pulled her hand away from Emma and reached down to place her hands onto the baby’s head. On speaker, she heard Amelie ask a question but couldn’t hear because Emma’s scream was louder.

“What?” She yelled into the phone.

“Is the baby crowning?”

“Yes, she is.” Regina replied.

“She is?” Emma gasped in between groans. “Holy fucking shit.”

“One more, Emma.” Regina told her. “You can do this. You got this.”

Emma did not feel like she had this. She wanted to stop, she wanted to sleep, she wanted for it to be someone else birthing this child - she wanted the baby out of her.

Pain blinded her, and she gripped the age-old leather seats of her bug as she screamed and pushed.

“Her head is almost out, Emma, one more.”

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“I fucking can’t.”

“You have to.”

“Marry me.”

“What!?”

Regina looked away from the baby situation for one second to look at Emma, who smiled for the briefest second before her face twisted again in pain as the last contraction hit her. The baby practically fell out and into Regina’s hands, all pink and red and bloody, and in that moment, all was forgotten. She was holding her baby.

The baby sputtered a little, and then let out the loudest, most beautiful cry either Emma or Regina had ever heard in their lives. They were both crying and smiling and laughing and neither of them cared that the backseat of Emma’s car was effectively covered in blood and mucus. Regina reached over to the go bag and grabbed a towel, in which she carefully dried and wrapped their daughter as instructed by the ambulance staff.

“Ok, hold tight. We’ll be there in just a moment.” 

They could already hear the sirens.

“Let me hold her.” Emma whispered, her voice hoarse. 

Regina shuffled forward and placed the baby in Emma’s arms, watching as the joy spread onto the blonde’s face.

“Hi, baby girl.” Emma cooed at the crying baby. “It’s Ma. Remember me? I’m the one with the bad humor.”

It was Emma’s voice which silenced the little girl. Regina was still on her knees, only now realising how uncomfortable and covered in blood she was, and she shifted to slump down against the back seat, next to Emma.

“Holy fucking shit.” She gasped. “You’re a goddess.”

Emma leaned her head on Regina’s shoulder. “I told you I got it.”

“You’re amazing.”

Emma laughed gently. She could not bear to look away from her daughter. “She’s beautiful.”

Regina smiled and wrapped an arm around Emma. “She is. She’s perfect.”

“Our little Bug.”

“Bug?”

“She was born in the bug. It’s only reasonable.”

“You want to call our daughter Bug.” Regina stated incredulously.

“You can’t judge me, I just shoved this out of my vagina.” Emma mumbled, raising the baby slightly in her arms.

The ambulance staff arrived then, and helped Emma and the baby out of the car. A little while later, they were at the hospital. Emma and the baby were off getting themselves checked out, while Regina had made calls all around to inform the grandparents of their new granddaughter.

While waiting for the Charmings and her son to arrive, Regina became increasingly aware of the fact that she was covered in blood. She took Emma’s change of clothes from the go bag and went into the bathroom to change.

When she emerged, wearing Emma’s leggings and Emma’s hoodie, she saw the Charmings.

“Hey,” She sighed as Snow engulfed her in a hug. 

“Where is she?”

“Here.” Regina said, pushing open the door behind her and leading them in. Emma was laying on a hospital bed, the baby in her arms, looking weak and tired but oh so happy.

The following moments were filled with cooing and smiling and laughing and pictures(as taken by Henry) and a whole lot of crying. Snow was over the moon, and David couldn’t have been more proud.

“Have you thought of a name yet?” 

Emma and Regina nodded. “Isabella.”

“Oh, it’s beautiful.”

“But I’m calling her Izzie.” Emma added. The baby was in Regina’s arms, and she couldn’t help but feel like she wanted her back. But the sight of her girlfriend holding her baby was more than enough to make her happy.

In time, the Charmings were ushered out by Regina, who insisted Emma needed her rest. Henry went along with them too, after giving both his Moms and his brand new sister a good bye kiss.

Emma yawned widely as Regina settled into a chair beside the bed. “I’m so tired I could die.”

“Try not to.”

Emma fell silent, and for a while, Regina thought that she was sleeping. The baby in her arms was asleep, her little face all cleaned up and squishy and so adorable she wanted to scream. Her little Isabella.

“Regina?”

“Yes?”

“Marry me.”

Regina stared at Emma, who smiled carefully. She hadn’t expected this, to say the least. She was still recovering from the miraculous birth of her daughter, and now the love of her life was asking her to marry her. She hadn’t forgotten the fact that Emma had technically already asked her once, right before their daughter was born.

_ Marry me. _

It was more an order, Regina decided. So typical of Emma. 

She realized she had been quiet for a long while, and cleared her throat.

“You want me to marry you?” She managed, her voice barely a whisper.

“If you want.”

“Then I’ll marry you.” Regina said. “Of course I’ll marry you.”

“Good.” Emma sighed. “I haven’t got a ring, but I did give you a baby so I think that makes up for it, right?”

Regina leaned in and kissed Emma. “It’s perfect. This is perfect. You’re perfect.”

 


End file.
